Workers need to learn how to question and check AI-generated information rather than simply how to use AI tools, as new figures show AI use is becoming increasingly common across UK workplaces.
Office for National Statistics figures show the proportion of UK businesses with 10 or more employees using AI has almost tripled since late 2023, rising from around 12% to 35%.
The ONS also found that 55% of employed and self-employed people reported using AI for work or education. Just 11% of businesses with 10 or more employees reported that more than half of their workforce had received AI-related training.
Gray Mytton, Assessment Innovation Manager at education charity NCFE, says knowing how to use AI will only be part of what workers need as the technology becomes more common across different jobs and industries.
He says employees will also need the judgement to challenge AI-generated information, recognise when something may be wrong and decide whether an output is appropriate to use.
Gray said: “AI can process information at speed and scale, but it still relies on people to provide judgement, context and oversight.
“Workers need to be able to challenge what AI gives them, interpret the information and decide whether it is accurate and appropriate.
“That means technical familiarity with AI needs to sit alongside skills such as critical thinking and judgement. We need to develop those skills together rather than treating them as separate things.”
Gray’s comments come after NCFE launched two new Level 2 qualifications in Artificial Intelligence for the Workplace, designed around AI literacy, practical workplace use, ethics and responsible use, and critical evaluation.
The focus on critical evaluation also reflects how workplace AI skills are being defined more widely. Skills England’s 2026 AI foundation skills for work benchmark includes responsible and ethical AI use, with workers expected to understand the risks of the technology, check AI-generated outputs for accuracy and know when to rely on their own judgement.
Gray says AI is already changing work, often at the level of individual tasks rather than whole jobs. Organisations are using the technology to automate routine work and improve productivity, while new roles are emerging around areas such as AI strategy, governance and implementation.
He also points to concerns that entry-level opportunities could be affected as AI takes on more foundational tasks, making the ability to adapt and keep developing new skills increasingly important.
According to Gray, the challenge for employers and the skills system is preparing people for a workplace that is likely to keep changing, rather than trying to predict exactly what individual jobs will look like in future.
He said: “We’re unlikely to predict exactly how every job will change. What we can do is make sure people have the skills to adapt as AI changes tasks and ways of working.
“Curiosity, problem solving, critical thinking and adaptability are already important skills, but AI is making them even more important. People will need to keep learning and adjusting as the technology develops.”
Rather than focusing solely on technical AI knowledge, Gray argues that workers need the human skills to make decisions about how and when the technology should be used.
Gray added: “Formal training is important, but people also need the chance to explore AI tools, test ideas and learn from using them.
“That practical experience can help build confidence while also showing where human judgement is still needed. As AI becomes part of more everyday tasks, that balance will become increasingly important.”
More information on NCFE’s AI in the Workforce Level 2 qualifications is available here: https://www.ncfe.org.uk/adult-education-and-training/digital/ai-in-the-workplace-level-2-qualifications/
